Vegan option: substitute butter for coconut oil, egg for 1 Tablespoon ground flax 3 Tablespoons warm water. Mix and wait until a paste forms. You could also use egg-replacer. Gluten Free: substitute flour for all purpose flour mix + 1 teaspoon xanthan gum.

Filling:
1⅓ cups California Raisins
1 Tablespoon honey
1˝ teaspoons ground cinnamon


Dough:
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened*
˝ cup sugar or brown sugar or sucanat (do not use honey, it will make dough too sticky)
1 large egg*
1˝ teaspoon vanilla extract
1˝ teaspoons baking powder
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 cup white flour*
˝ cup whole wheat (or all white but NOT all whole wheat)*

1 ⅓ cups California Raisins 1 Tablespoon honey 1 ˝ teaspoons ground cinnamon 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened* 1 large egg* 1 ˝ teaspoon vanilla extract 1 ˝ teaspoons baking powder 1 cup white flour*

In a bowl, place raisins and pour enough boiling water to cover them. Let the raisins soak up the moisture for 10-15 minutes until they are plump.

Drain raisins and place them in the bowl of a food processor. Add the honey and cinnamon to the raisins and pulse a few times to combine. Puree the cinnamon raisin mixture until it is a smooth paste.

Preheat your oven to 350F.

In the bowl of a stand mixer (could also use a big mixing bowl and use either a hand mixer or a whisk), cream sugar and butter until smooth.

Add the egg and vanilla, mix for another 2 minutes until you have a sweet paste.

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.

Add the flour mix (1/2 cup at a time) with your mixer turned on, until a dough forms.

Roll the dough between two pieces of parchment paper into 12×4 inch strips.

Remove top piece or paper.

Spread half of the cinnamon raisin paste along the center third of each rectangle nearly all the way to the top and bottom edges.

Using the bottom piece of parchment paper to assist you, lift one third of the dough rectangle and put it on top of half of the raisin paste.

Repeat process with the other side and gently press the dough along the center line and top and bottom edges.

Cut each rectangular “log” into 8-10 pieces or bake whole and cut with a pizza cutter later. Transfer pieces to a silicone or parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Bake 18 minutes (add a couple of minutes if baking whole), or until golden brown.

Allow cookies to cool off before serving.